The Expiration Timeline
Expiration Date
Domain expires. Your website and email may stop working immediately or within hours.
Grace Period
You can still renew at normal price. Most registrars give 0-45 day grace period. Site is usually down during this time.
Redemption Period
Can recover, but expensive. Fees typically $100-200+ on top of renewal. Domain is locked.
Pending Delete
Cannot be renewed. Domain is queued for release back to the public.
Domain Released
Gone forever. Anyone can register it. Domain squatters often grab valuable expired domains.
Grace Periods by Registrar
| Registrar | Grace Period | Redemption Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | 40 days | ~$80 |
| Porkbun | 30 days | ~$100 |
| Namecheap | 30 days | ~$150 |
| GoDaddy | 18 days | ~$80 |
*Periods and fees vary by TLD. Check your registrar for exact terms.
How to Avoid Losing Your Domain
✓ Enable Auto-Renewal
Most important step. Make sure your payment method is current.
✓ Keep Contact Info Updated
Renewal reminders go to your registrant email. Keep it current.
✓ Register for Multiple Years
Less chance of forgetting if you renew for 2-5 years at once.
✓ Set Calendar Reminders
Add your own reminder 30+ days before expiration.
Key Takeaway
Enable auto-renewal immediately. Recovering an expired domain costs $100+ and causes downtime. Losing it entirely means starting over—or paying a squatter thousands.
Compare Registrars →